Dallas Teachers Credit Union v. Sweeney

326 S.W.2d 244, 1959 Tex. App. LEXIS 1982
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 4, 1959
Docket6887
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 326 S.W.2d 244 (Dallas Teachers Credit Union v. Sweeney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dallas Teachers Credit Union v. Sweeney, 326 S.W.2d 244, 1959 Tex. App. LEXIS 1982 (Tex. Ct. App. 1959).

Opinions

CHAPMAN, Justice.

This is a summary judgment case. Appellant, Dallas Teachers Credit Union initiated the suit in the court below for the balance due on a promissory note dated June 7, 1954, signed by Frances H. Thomas and Dr. J. Shirley Sweeney, and in the alternative on a note dated November 20, 1952, executed by Frances H. Thomas and her husband, Jack E. Thomas and Dr. J. Shirley Sweeney.

Appellant filed a motion for summary judgment against Frances H. Thomas, Jack E. Thomas and Dr. J. Shirley Sweeney. Thereafter, appellee, Dr. J. Shirley Sweeney filed a motion for summary judgment. The trial court denied appellant’s motion for summary judgment against Dr. J. Shirley Sweeney but granted the motion against Frances H. Thomas and her husband, Jack E. Thomas. The court granted Dr. Sweeney’s motion for summary judgment against appellant, holding that said motion of Dr. J. Shirley Sweeney should be rendered in his behalf. From such summary judgment appellant, Dallas Teachers Credit Union has perfected this appeal.

In its first point appellant asserts error of the trial court in overruling its motion for summary judgment. Such point is without merit, the law being well settled in this state that no appeal or right of review exists for one whose motion for summary judgment under Rule 166-A is denied. Archer v. Skelly Oil Company, Tex.Civ.App., 314 S.W.2d 655; A. A. A. Realty Co. Inc. v. Neece, Tex., 292 S.W.2d 811; Wright v. Wright, 154 Tex. 138, 274 S.W.2d 670, 674. In the last cited case our Supreme Court said:

“The denial of a motion for summary judgment is not an adjudica-tiom of the merits against the mov-ant and, no doubt for this reason, is held in the Federal courts to be interlocutory and thus unappealable. Jones v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 5 Cir., 108 F.2d 123; Atlantic Co. v. Citizens Ice & Cold Storage Co., 5 [246]*246Cir., 178 F.2d 453. We see no good reason to take a different view for our own practice, which derives from the Federal Rules. Neither the text of our summary judgment Rule, No1. 166-A, nor any other of our Rules of Civil Procedure suggest a different result than that reached in the mentioned decisions. Nor does the fact that part of the trial court’s action granted summary judgment for petitioners and was thus appealable by respondent, necessarily malee the part refusing summary judgment appeal-able by the petitioners.”

The question then remains as to whether the trial court properly granted Dr. Sweeney’s motion for summary judgment against Dallas Teachers Credit Union. This question appellant brings to us through its points two and three. Its point two urges the proposition that inasmuch as the fore-bearance of suit offered in a letter by the President of appellant company and amplified by affidavit did not constitute an extension of the note, the court erred in rendering summary judgment for Dr. Sweeney. Its point three is to the effect that inasmuch as Dr. Sweeney’s allegation that he was told he would be liable only if Mrs. Thomas left the country constitutes an attempt to vary by parol evidence the terms of a written instrument, the note, and inasmuch as such allegation was in any event rebutted a fact issue was made and the trial court erred in granting summary judgment for Dr. Sweeney. Though additional grounds were alleged, Dr. Sweeney, in his brief, bases his contention for the trial court’s correctness in awarding him summary judgment against appellant upon the propositions that (1) H. B. Yates, President of appellant company and Mrs. Thomas entered into a binding extension agreement that released him as an accommodation maker and (2) his signature on the two notes were procured by promises of Mr. Yates that his signature was only for the purpose of credit or character reference for Mrs. Thomas and that he would not be liable on the notes unless Mrs. Thomas left the country.

For the purpose of the summary judgment proceedings, appellant admitted Dr. Sweeney was an accommodation maker and only secondarily liable but it says the letter, “even if confined within its own limits does not set forth a binding extension agreement such as will release an accommodation maker because it does not prevent the maker or co-maker from paying off the note at any time they desire to do' so according to the tenor of the note and does not set forth an extension for a definite period of time.”

The record shows the original note of November 20, 1952, was in the amount of $2,500, bore interest at the rate of ¾ of 1 per cent per month, and was to be paid in 60 monthly installments. Periodical payments were made through September 29,. 1953. The .payments being in arrears a second note of June 7, 1954 was signed by Mrs:. Thomas and Dr. Sweeney in the amount of $2,699.41, the application signed by Mrs. Thomas showing it was a renewal note to renew the old loan. The last named note provided the same rate of interest and provided for payment in 60 installments of $56 each. Each note provided that in case of default in payments the entire balance would become immediately due and payable. The letter of October 21, 1955, which appellee, Dr. Sweeney relies on as releasing him from the obligation of the note is as follows:

“October 27, 1955
“Mrs. Frances H. Thomas
“901 Couley Street
“Sweetwater, Texas
“Dear Mrs. Thomas:
“This is a reply to your letter of October 21, 1955, in which you state that you will begin making payments November 20, 1955, if we will not file suit for collection.
“You and Dr. Sweeney signed a renewal note for $2,699.41 on June 7. [247]*2471954, calling for 60 monthly payments ■of $56.00 including interest. Since that date, you have made three payments of $56.0.0 and sent us one insufficient fund check for a like amount. 'The renewal note is $728 delinquent.
In a telephone conversation today, you •agreed to> pay $60 monthly until this ■delinquency was paid off.
“We are willing to postpone filing •suit for collection as long as you pay '$60 per month as you agreed today. Insufficient Funds checks will not count as payments. The first payment that you miss will be followed by a lawsuit without any notice tO' you.
“I am sending a copy of the note that you signed to you, Dr. Sweeney, •and his attorney.
“Your truly,
“Dallas Teachers Credit Union
“H. B. Yates,
“President
“HBY :BJ”

By way of explanation and amplification of the letter just quoted Mr. Yates made an affidavit that is included in this record, in which he said in part:

“This letter was a summation or memorandum of the telephone conversation between Mrs. Thomas and myself on the same date. At this time I agreed that if Mrs.

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Related

Craig v. Rio Grande Electric Co-Operative
345 S.W.2d 460 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1960)
Dallas Teachers Credit Union v. Sweeney
326 S.W.2d 244 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1959)

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Bluebook (online)
326 S.W.2d 244, 1959 Tex. App. LEXIS 1982, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dallas-teachers-credit-union-v-sweeney-texapp-1959.